Disney+ Announces New Series Based on Stuart Gibbs' 'Spy School' Novels
Disney+ is in the process of developing a series based on Stuart Gibbs' popular "Spy School" novels. The book series consists of 14 books, with the latest installment, "Spy School Goes East," scheduled for release in October 2026. The show will follow the story of Ben Ripley, a teenager who dreams of working for the CIA and finds himself recruited into a science-focused magnet school that is actually a front for a CIA academy.
The series is being written by Chris Fedak, who is also serving as an executive producer alongside Emma Watts and Ryan Reynolds' Maximum Effort production company. The show is being produced in partnership with 20th Television, where Maximum Effort has a first-look deal. Stuart Gibbs' books have been highly successful, with over 12 million copies sold across various series, including "Spy School," "FunJungle," "Charlie Thorne," "Moon Base Alpha," and "Once Upon a Tim."
Chris Fedak, known for his work on shows like "Chuck," "Prodigal Son," and "Deception," is a longtime fan of Stuart Gibbs' writing. The adaptation of "Spy School" adds to Disney+'s growing list of young adult book-to-series projects, joining the likes of the "Percy Jackson" series, "Eragon," and "Animorphs." The streaming platform has previously aired a series based on R.L. Stine's "Goosebumps" books.